A Boy Named Jack
by OptimusPrime2017
Summary: A young boy facing the challenges of being in the age of pirates. A story of a younger Jack Sparrow. Not related to any of my stories.
1. Prologue

**OptimusPrime2017 presents to you,**

 **A Pirates of the Caribbean fanfic posted on Easter/April Fools;**

 **A Boy Named Jack**

 **Prologue:**

A young boy of around ten years old struggled to pull free from a middle-aged man's grip.

"I said I'm sorry!" The boy yelped, yanking his arm free and rubbing his red wrist.

"Sorry isn't enough for knocking me rum from me hands, boy!" The man glared at him.

"I didn't mean to-" The kid was cut off as he got slapped across the cheek.

He landed on his side in the mud. He struggled to his feet, spitting mud from his mouth.

"Sorry doesn't pay for wasted rum." The man snarled. "Ye're Teague's boy, right?"

"Why does it matter?" The boy said in a rough, angry voice.

"'Cause I'll be talkin' to him bout ye."

"No you won't."

The drunk man punched the boy right in the gut, sending him sprawling in the mud again. By the time the boy got up, the man was holding a whip in his hands. He swung it at the boy angrily. It caught him on the chest and he let out a cry of pain as he collapsed back a few feet.

"My father will have you by the throat!" The boy threatened.

He got up, tripping the man, who staggered without falling. He dropped the whip somewhere in the mud, unable to find it. Instead, he grabbed a long piece of wood. He slammed it into the kid's back, making his whimper and fall onto his knees. The boy tried to kick him, but his legs weren't long thing he knew, a hand was on his throat holding him in the air.

"My father won't approve of this!" He half-whimpered, half-threatened. "Let me down!"

The hand tightened on his throat and he began gasping for air. He spotted a sheathed sword hanging from the man's belt. He reached down and grasped it, pulling it free. He stabbed it into the man's chest. The drunk man screamed in pain and let go of the boy. They both crumpled to the ground in heaps. The man's breathing came to a stop, his body covered in his own blood.

"Jack!" A rough, worried voice came. "What have you done?!"

"Dad?" The boy whimpered, glancing towards the entrance of a bar.

The man raced over to his side, searching him. When he saw the gash on his chest and the bloody scrape on his back, he shook his head. "Are you alright?"

The boy threw his arms around his father, crying slightly from fear of what'd happened. "H-he had me by the throat!"

"You're alright now, Jackie boy." The man assured his son, though he seemed to be trying to reassure himself as well. "You're alright now."


	2. Chapter 1: Pirates' Life

Ten-year old Jack sat up in the bed Dr. Grogan had put him in. He ran his hand across a blue and black bruise on his lower chest, where his attacker had punched him the previous day. It ached at his touch, so he sighed and pulled his arm back. The mark the whip had left across his chest wasn't bleeding. It hadn't been deep enough for stitches, though the horrible scratch on his back had needed it. Truthfully, he ached all over. It wasn't every day that he fought a full grown man over rum that was knocked out of his hand by mistake.

Jack ran a hand through his medium-length ruffled black hair. Then he sighed, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. He stood up weakly, walking towards the door on wobbly legs. Of course, his father had gone off to some bar as soon as he dropped him off. At noon, he'd be leaving on some kind of pirate voyage. He left the room, stumbling down the stairs. He reached the exit and was about to open it when a deep voice came from behind.

"Where do you think you're going, boy?"

"I'm leaving, Doc." He replied.

"That's not a good idea in your condition." Doctor Grogan told him.

"This time I'll make sure not to get slammed around by some piece of wood." He rolled his eyes.

Before the man could respond, Jack yanked open the door and raced out. He ran through the street, slipping among crowds and out of the way of carriages. Since it was nearly noon right now, he headed towards the port, making sure to keep running. He raced past a young girl, who glared at him with hatred. He rounded the corner of the last building and snuck onto the docks. They creaked underneath him, but he didn't pay any attention to it.

He spotted his father's ship. He wasn't supposed to leave Tortuga, but he couldn't resist. He wanted adventure. He wanted a pirate's life, like everyone else here.

He saw the men lifting the anchor and knew that he'd have to hurry. Within a few seconds, the anchor was up and the sails were down. He tensed as he saw the wind start tugging at them.

 _Now!_ A silent voice told him.

Jack sprang into action, mustering all of the speed he had. Suddenly he noticed that the ship was gaining speed faster than he'd hoped. He leapt off the edge of the dock, grabbing a rope that hung off the back of the ship. He put his feet on the back of the ship, like someone climbing up the side of a rocky cliff. He climbed up the rope a little so he wasn't on the edge of it.

He smiled triumphantly and murmured,"It's a pirates' life for me."


	3. Chapter 2: First Meal

Jack snuck below deck unseen and headed towards the ship's galley. He made it aboard the ship! He was pleased with himself, having not done anything like this before. He was out on the seas for the first time.

He reached the galley, seeing no one inside. He entered, quietly snatching a hardtack biscuit from the cupboard. Then he spotted a red drink in a bottle. He grabbed it, not knowing what it was. He slipped out the door and headed even further below deck. He reached the bottom level of the ship, which was pretty much pitch black. It didn't bother him though. He didn't mind the dark.

After his eyes adjusted to the poor light, he took a bite from the hard piece of bread. He swallowed it, surprised at how dry it was. He opened the bottle, taking a sip of the drink. It wasn't too bad, but it wasn't his choice of a drink either. He set the bottle in his lap, taking another bite of the biscuit. Was this really what pirates ate?

Jack sighed, leaning against the wall behind him. He almost longed for the food back on Tortuga. Maybe he shouldn't have gotten aboard? Too late now.

He finished eating the biscuit and took a couple more sips of the drink. He'd heard men talk about rum back on the island. Was this rum?

Jack unsteadily got to his feet with the drink, corking it again. He staggered over to the back corner of the ship, lying down in the most comfortable position the hull could offer. He closed his eyes, letting sleep overtake him.


	4. Chapter 3: Found Out

Jack had been aboard the ship for about a week, stealing food once a day. The only bad thing is that the crew had realized that they had a stowaway on board. And they were searching for him.

Jack hid behind a barrel, legs pulled tight to his chest. He was still in the bottom of the hull. The pirates were getting closer. He could hear one coming down into the hull at the very moment.

"Where are ye, stowaway?" A raspy, angry voice came. "We know ye're here."

He bit his lower lip, tasting the salty tang of blood in his mouth. He swallowed, his small body trembling slightly. What would they do to him once they caught him?

"Step out now and we won't hurt you." Another voice came. Someone else was there too. This wasn't good. "Come out."

Jack slid through the shadows, staying away from the light of their lamps. He was careful not to make much noise. Until he tripped on an empty bottle and fell to the floor.

"Ha!" One man exclaimed. "Over here!"

Within a second, Jack saw a sword at his throat. He lifted his hands nervously. "P-parlay?"

"A boy?" The other pirate sounded puzzled, almost disappointed.

"Captain Teague'll have 'im whipped, that's for sure." The first man laughed.

The second one joined in. "Aye. Let's take him up."

"Hey!" Jack shouted as soon as they lifted him to his feet. "Let me go!"

The pirate grabbed his arm and roughly shoved him towards the stairs. "Listen and obey, boy, or we'll have your head. Go up the stairs."

"Y-yes, sir." He swallowed nervously, scrambling up the stairs.

They headed for a second staircase that led to the main deck, when one of the two pirates smacked him in the back of the head. He let out a cry of pain and kicked the man harmlessly in the chin. The man laughed and kicked him twice as hard, right in the ribcage.

He cried out again, barely hearing the familiar voice yell,"Jack!"

The pirate hit him with a hard punch to the eye before looking at the stairs, where a distressed Teague raced down.

Jack pulled himself onto one elbow, letting out a curse as a result of the pain. "Bloody hell."

"Ye alright, Jackie boy?" Edward Teague asked, his voice a mix of anger and concern.

"Aye. Obviously." He responded, rubbing his left eye and getting to his feet. "Though I think I might have a black eye…"

"What are ye doing on my ship anyway?" The man asked, his voice cold.

Jack flinched. "Not staying in Tortuga." It sounded more like a question as it came out. Then his gaze lowered to the floor. "Though, it may not have been a good idea…"

"You think, boy?" One of the pirates scowled.

He glared at the man before looking back towards Teague. "I'm sorry, Dad, but I couldn't just stay on that stupid spit of land."

Teague sighed. "Too late now for ye to go back."

Jack held back a smirk of triumph. He wasn't going back to Tortuga! He still felt ashamed with himself for leaving a bit though. But as his father had said, it was too late to go back now.

"I'll help the crew." He offered. "It'll keep me out of your way."

"Or it'll get ye in my way." The man reminded him. "That's inevitable either way. I agree to ye helping the crew. It'll be good experience for ye, Jackie boy."

"When do I start?" Jack asked with a sly smirk.

"Tomorrow."


	5. Chapter 4: Going to be a Great Pirate

"Dad, how will I know what to do tomorrow?" Jack asked his father.

Night had fallen and they were looking over the railing of the ship. The moon shone brightly in the sky, the stars surrounding it. The water rippled smoothly as the ship sailed slowly.

"I'll have Hector show you." Captain Teague told him. "Have you met Hector yet?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Hector's a smart man, Jack." The man told him. "He's on the younger side, but he has experience alright."

"Most of the people out here have experience." Jack agreed, giving a small nod. "One day, I'll have enough experience to captain my own ship."

Teague let out a long, cold laugh. "Not yet, Jackie boy. You're too young. When the time comes, I'm sure you'll make a fine captain."

The boy smiled. "Thanks, Dad."

The captain clapped him on the back and pulled him to his side. "You'll make a good man some day, Jackie."

"Really? You actually think so?"

"I do."

"So…" Jack spoke up after a few moments of peaceful silence. "Do I have to wait till tomorrow to meet him? Hector?"

"I don't think he's up now, Jackie." Teague answered. "Aye, I think you'll have to wait."

"Okay….I'm good at waiting." He sighed quietly. "Did it for a week in the hull. Waiting for you all to notice that I was aboard."

"You did a fine job hiding." His father agreed. "But you can't hide from everything."

"I know." Jack told him. "I'm ready for what waits me out here. Not going to hide from what I want to do. Not going to hide from my destiny."

"How do you know that sailing is your destiny?"

"I just do. Gut feeling, y'know. Besides, I love it out here on the sea."

"That a boy, Jackie. You'll be a true pirate in no time."


	6. Chapter 5: Meet Hector Barbossa

"G'morning, Hector." Teague greeted.

"Morning, Captain." Hector Barbossa responded with equal respect. "Need something, sir?"

"Actually, I do." The captain nodded. He gestured to Jack, who stood beside him. "This is my son, Jack. I was hoping you would be willing to show him around and teach him how everything's done."

"It'll be no problem, sir." The pirate assured him, flashing him a smile.

Jack could see that the pirate had several golden teeth, which reflected the sunlight. The pirate must've had some tough adventures out here on the sea.

"I'll leave you to it then." Teague walked down the quarterdeck, towards his cabin.

"Jack, isn't it?" Hector asked. "I'm Hector Barbossa."

"Yes, I'm Jack." He nodded.

The man reached out his hand and Jack took it, shaking it firmly.

"Pleasure to meet ye, Jack."

"You too, sir."

"Now, I'll be giving ye the tour first." Barbossa told him.

"Okay." Jack replied. "Sounds good to me."

*X*

"No, don't tie it like that." Hector shook his head.

He untied the knot in the rope and showed Jack again.

"Like this?" He asked once he'd retied it.

"Aye, jus' like that, Jack." The pirate nodded. "Now secure the other cannon so I know ye can do it right."

"Aye." Jack nodded, scrambling over next to another cannon. He quickly tied and secured the ropes holding the cannon to the deck.

"Very good." Barbossa praised.

Jack smirked proudly.

"Now, can ye climb?"

"Aye." He nodded. "I can."

"Go secure the sails." Hector ordered.

"Got it." Jack walked over to the mast and began climbing up it.

He was well on his way to becoming a pirate yet.


End file.
